1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drying machine for drying clothes, etc., and more particularly to a drying machine having improved motor fixing brackets for fixing a motor securely to a base in the drying machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, a drying machine for clothes generally supplies air heated by a heater into a drum, in which clothes to be dried are put, to dry the clothes. Such a drying machine may be used independently only for drying the clothes, or incorporated with a laundry machine for washing and drying the clothes at one time.
Drying machines are generally classified into an exhausting-type drying machine and a condensing-type drying machine. The exhausting-type drying machine discharges humid air used to dry clothes to the outside, while the condensing-type drying machine condenses moisture laden in humid air used to dry clothes by heat exchange with outside air to produce low humidity air, and supplies the low humidity air to the clothes to be dried.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional drying machine, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the interior of the drying machine.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional drying machine includes a base 2, and a casing 10 placed on the base 2. The casing 10 has a clothes inlet 10a formed in the front part of the casing 10, and a door 10b pivotably attached to the casing 10. The clothes inlet 10a also acts as a clothes outlet, through which dried clothes are withdrawn. In the casing 10 is rotatably placed a drum 20, in which clothes to be dried are put. The drying machine further includes a heater 24 attached to the base 2 for heating air, a guide duct 26 for guiding the air heated by the heater 24 into the drum 20, a fan 28 for generating the blowing force necessary to blow the air heated by the heater 24 into the drum and to discharge the air in the drum to the outside of the drying machine, a lint trap 30 with a filter 31 for purifying the air used to dry the clothes in the drum 20, a fan housing 32 communicating with the lint trap 30 and enclosing the fan 28, an exhaust duct 34 communicating with the fan housing 32 for guiding the air discharged by the fan 28 to the outside of the drying machine, and a motor 40 attached to the base 2 for rotating the drum 20 and the fan 28.
The casing 10 includes side panels 12 and 13, a front panel 14 attached to the front ends of the side panels 12 and 13, and a rear panel 16 attached to the rear ends of the side panels 12 and 13. The rear panel 16 has an air suction hole 16a formed therein, through which outdoor air is sucked into the drying machine, and a duct through hole 16b formed therein, through which the exhaust duct 34 is extended. The casing 10 further includes a top cover 18 attached to the top ends of the side panels 12 and 13, and a control panel 19 provided on the top cover 18.
In the rear of the front panel 14 is provided a front supporter 36 for rotatably supporting the front part of the drum 20. The front supporter 36 has a clothes inlet 36a formed at the center thereof, and an exhaust hole 36b communicating with an inlet hole 30a of the lint trap 30 formed at the lower part thereof. The clothes inlet 36 also acts as a clothes outlet, through which dried clothes are withdrawn.
In the front of the rear panel 16 is provided a rear supporter 38 for rotatably supporting the rear part of the drum 20. The rear supporter 38 has an inflow hole 38a communicating with the upper end of the guide duct 26 formed in the center thereof. Through the inflow hole 38a, the air heated by the heater 24 is introduced into the drum.
The drum 20 is provided at the inner circumference thereof with vanes 21 for lifting the clothes.
The motor 40 is provided at the front and rear ends thereof with shafts 41a and 41b, respectively. On the shaft 41a, which is provided at the front end of the motor 40, is mounted the fan 28. A belt 22 is provided around the shaft 41b, which is provided at the rear end of the motor 40, and the drum 20, and serves to transfer the drive force of the motor 40 to the drum 20.
The motor 40 is placed on a supporting member 4, which is attached to the base 2. To the supporting member 4 are fixedly attached motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 by means of bolts 42. The motor 40 is fixed tightly between the supporting member 4 and the motor fixing brackets 47 and 48.
The operation of the conventional drying machine constructed as described above will now be described.
Clothes to be dried are put into the drum 20, and the door 10b is closed to operate the drying machine. The drum 20 and the fan 28 are rotated by the motor 40, and the heater 24 heats air. At this time, the clothes to be dried in the drum 20 are lifted by the vanes 21 and then dropped from the vanes 21.
By rotation of the fan 28, outside air is introduced into the heater 24 via the air suction hole 16a, and heated by the heater 24. The air of high temperature and low humidity, which is produced by the heater 24, is supplied into the drum 20 via the guide duct 26 and the inflow hole 38a of the rear supporter 38.
The air of high temperature and low humidity supplied into the drum 20 comes into contact with the clothes dropped from the vanes 21 to dry the clothes. After that, the air passes through the filter 31, and is exhausted outside the drying machine via the lint trap 30, the fan housing 32, and the exhaust duct 34 in turn.
There occurs vibration from the motor 40 while the clothes are being dried in the drying machine. The vibration not only gives rise to harsh noise, but has a bad influence upon the performance of the drying machine as well. Consequently, it is required to make sure that the motor 40 is fixed tightly to prevent such vibration.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of the conventional drying machine, FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a front view of the conventional drying machine showing a motor and motor fixing brackets disposed in the drying machine, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a motor and motor fixing brackets of the conventional drying machine.
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the motor 40 is provided at the front and rear parts thereof with hubs 43 and 44 for supporting the motor 40, respectively. On the outer circumferences of the hubs 43 and 44 are fitted vibration isolating rings 45 and 46, respectively, for absorbing the vibration.
The supporting member 4 comprises a front supporting member 4a for supporting the front part of the motor 40, and a rear supporting member 4b for supporting the rear part of the motor 40. The front supporting member 4a is provided at the middle of the upper part thereof with a semicircular groove 5, in which the lower part of the vibration isolating ring 45 is placed. Similarly, the rear supporting member 4b is provided at the middle of the upper part thereof with a semicircular groove 5, in which the lower part of the vibration isolating ring 46 is placed. At the right and left sides of the grooves 5 are formed fixing holes 6, into which the bolts 42 are screwed.
The motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 are placed on the front and rear supporting members 4a and 4b in such a manner that the brackets 47 and 48 surround the upper parts of the vibration isolating rings 45 and 46.
The motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 each have a semicircular curved part 49a, in which the upper part of each of the vibration isolating rings 45 and 46 is placed, and a fixing part 49c extended outwardly from the semicircular curved part 49a, which is placed on each of the front and rear supporting members 4a and 4b. In the fixing part 49c are formed fixing holes 49b, into which the bolts 42 are screwed, at opposite sides of the semicircular curved part 49a. The motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 are placed on the front and rear supporting members 4a and 4b, and then the bolts 42 are screwed into the fixing holes 49b. 
The aforesaid conventional drying machine, however, has drawbacks in that after the motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 are placed on the supporting member 4, the bolts 42 must be screwed into the fixing holes 49b and 6 in turn while the fixing holes 49b of the motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 are brought into line with the fixing holes 6 of the supporting member 4, with the result that the assembling position of the motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 and the supporting member 4 may be changed during fastening with the bolts 42, and that it is hard to assemble the motor fixing brackets quickly and easily.
Furthermore, the motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 and the supporting member 4 must be fixed by means of the bolts 42 while the motor fixing brackets 47 and 48 are placed on the supporting member 4, with the result that the motor fixing brackets 47 and 49 do shake, which leads to loosening of the bolts. Besides, the drum 20 is disposed at the vicinity of the bolts 42, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Consequently, it is necessary to disassemble the drum 20 and the related parts before the bolts 42 are unscrewed when the motor 40 is to be repaired or replaced.